After all the awful things which have been done in the name of the peoples of the US of A ( Iraq, Rendition, Guantanamo Bay etc etc ) I am SO pleased that they have had the vision and courage to elect someone as their President who is prepared to make a difference.
US of America...I applaud you for electing Barak Obama as your next President. I must admit I was praying for this to happen yesterday!
We have heard a lot on the issue of his being the first BLACK President.
I have many friends of "mixed" race and of " ethnic" origins..(oh how I hate those words....BYKWIM) and and I have seen at first hand the everyday, petty, routine, spite, disdain and insult they had to endure, and been told about other stuff they had to endure EVERY day of their lives...and that is in the UK, a so called multi racial society, where we have laws to supposedly prevent that sort of crap happening...
I was born in 1962, so within my lifetime black people in the US of A couldn't vote...or were abused or killed for trying to exercise their legal rights...and UK people had similarly been abused and suffered JUST because of the colour of their skin...
I must say I have some issues with the "First Black President " bit we keep on hearing today in all the media. Obviously I know he IS the First Black President.....but I view him as a man..who has been elected as President...who is ALSO black...
Maybe thats just me being picky about language and its usage, I don't really know?
BUT setting aside that minor point of mine, as a white, celtic UK person I cannot even begin to imagine the difficulties he has had to face because of his colour and race, even though he is both educated, intellegent and articulate.
and as a result of this and his mixed background ( both ethnic, religous and colour) I feel he will be a really shining hope for the US of A's future dealings with the World
I am also encouraged by his pronouncements on Global Warming and Climate Change and his acceptance of such matters as REAL...and I understand he has plans to seriously increase the use of renewables in the US of A?
Added to his opposition to the War in Iraq and I am already a happier global citizen.... :-))
President- elect Barak Obama, I raise a glass to your term in office. May it be as good as you promised it would be!
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Further musings on cider and chicken poo
Further to my last post and the various kind comments I received ( thank you kind blog friends.....)
I have a confession...we actually made twice the amount of cider shown in the last post.....and have already drunk the first 35 L since May....we actually got through it very quickly...and were a bit alarmed at how fast the levels dropped!
So we left off decanting this one in the vain hope that, IF it was in a 25 L container, ( out in the garage...) we would be less likely to start pouring a glass ( or several ) out from it. As it it bloomin heavy to lift and I don't actually think I could pour a glass out of it....
Or something. Well that was the reasoning. Maybe. Or was it just we didn't get around to it?
Can't really remember.........
;-)
And I really must thank you all for your good wishes, I feel marginally better than earlier in the week but am still very weak and feeble. I have cancelled taking my class for their Forest School session on Thursday AND have said I am not going to do Eco Club after school. Which is a big disappointment for me as I enjoy it so much BUT ....I really don't feel capable at the moment.
I was a bit puzzled at the comment from Thursday about how industrious the kitchen is...then I looked again with someone elses eyes ( well, mine are not much use at the moment!)
at the photo and realised that, with the big container of the old 2007 cider, the new cider bubbling away, the apples and pumpkins, the dehydrator, the jars of chutney etc...it DID look like we have been busy!
Actually, with the chutneys, its just I am too lazy to put the jars away and then have to get them out of the Chutney and Jam store ( yes we DO have such a thing....) to label them and I haven't labelled them yet and am leaving it there in the hope I will remember to get around to making some labels before it gets to be 2009.......
I DID manage to clean out all the chickens runs yesterday, they were all in a bit of a state and I shovelled an AMAZING pile of composted down chicken poo and bark chippings from the runs....it was WONDERFUL stuff and I can't wait to get using it next year! So all the hens now have clean houses and freshly clean runs full of nice composted wood chips from our wood.
BUT I think it was a bit too much for me, as after an hour of doing that I came over a bit wobbly and had to go and lie down for 3 hours and sleep......................
I like the symmetry of cutting down our trees for wood, chipping the twiggy bits and storing them to use as mulches or in the hen runs and then returning them to my compost bins ( with added Factor P for POO) to turn into lovely compost, to use to grow my veg, to eat.....
The Wheel of Life...I feel a "Lion King " moment coming on.....
( sorry....but I AM ill, remember....so am excused normality for a few more days...)
I also have been most amused by the antics of all the hens, they are very funny!
THIS is one of the chicks! She is the no 1 pullet and is VERY brave.....
SO...I am slowly improving ( although am tired , very easily, and have been falling asleep at all odd hours of the day...if I sit down I nod off.)...and life continues on....
I have a confession...we actually made twice the amount of cider shown in the last post.....and have already drunk the first 35 L since May....we actually got through it very quickly...and were a bit alarmed at how fast the levels dropped!
So we left off decanting this one in the vain hope that, IF it was in a 25 L container, ( out in the garage...) we would be less likely to start pouring a glass ( or several ) out from it. As it it bloomin heavy to lift and I don't actually think I could pour a glass out of it....
Or something. Well that was the reasoning. Maybe. Or was it just we didn't get around to it?
Can't really remember.........
;-)
And I really must thank you all for your good wishes, I feel marginally better than earlier in the week but am still very weak and feeble. I have cancelled taking my class for their Forest School session on Thursday AND have said I am not going to do Eco Club after school. Which is a big disappointment for me as I enjoy it so much BUT ....I really don't feel capable at the moment.
I was a bit puzzled at the comment from Thursday about how industrious the kitchen is...then I looked again with someone elses eyes ( well, mine are not much use at the moment!)
at the photo and realised that, with the big container of the old 2007 cider, the new cider bubbling away, the apples and pumpkins, the dehydrator, the jars of chutney etc...it DID look like we have been busy!
Actually, with the chutneys, its just I am too lazy to put the jars away and then have to get them out of the Chutney and Jam store ( yes we DO have such a thing....) to label them and I haven't labelled them yet and am leaving it there in the hope I will remember to get around to making some labels before it gets to be 2009.......
I DID manage to clean out all the chickens runs yesterday, they were all in a bit of a state and I shovelled an AMAZING pile of composted down chicken poo and bark chippings from the runs....it was WONDERFUL stuff and I can't wait to get using it next year! So all the hens now have clean houses and freshly clean runs full of nice composted wood chips from our wood.
BUT I think it was a bit too much for me, as after an hour of doing that I came over a bit wobbly and had to go and lie down for 3 hours and sleep......................
I like the symmetry of cutting down our trees for wood, chipping the twiggy bits and storing them to use as mulches or in the hen runs and then returning them to my compost bins ( with added Factor P for POO) to turn into lovely compost, to use to grow my veg, to eat.....
The Wheel of Life...I feel a "Lion King " moment coming on.....
( sorry....but I AM ill, remember....so am excused normality for a few more days...)
I also have been most amused by the antics of all the hens, they are very funny!
THIS is one of the chicks! She is the no 1 pullet and is VERY brave.....
SO...I am slowly improving ( although am tired , very easily, and have been falling asleep at all odd hours of the day...if I sit down I nod off.)...and life continues on....
Monday, 3 November 2008
Decanting old cider.
I really do NOT know why the photos are so big...I am putting them up as small, as I always have done, but they are coming out huge....?
This is last years cider waiting to be decanted into smaller containers.
We sterilised everything then started the syphoning process.
Mmmm lovely cider
and the end result! The cider tastes good!
We will bottle a demijohn into some glass wine bottles to keep, but the rest can stay in these plastic 5 L containers... they are water bottles but are exactly the same as the plastic demijohns one can buy...so we have recycled them!
That way if the cider is still fermenting there will just be a mess and not a mess AND shards of glass!
This is last years cider waiting to be decanted into smaller containers.
We sterilised everything then started the syphoning process.
Mmmm lovely cider
and the end result! The cider tastes good!
We will bottle a demijohn into some glass wine bottles to keep, but the rest can stay in these plastic 5 L containers... they are water bottles but are exactly the same as the plastic demijohns one can buy...so we have recycled them!
That way if the cider is still fermenting there will just be a mess and not a mess AND shards of glass!
Sunday, 2 November 2008
An aromatic hour ----------later version with additions!
I have added some stuff...it is in bold!
Pamper time!
I am feeling very achy and stiff at the moment, a combination of the virus and general stress of life at the moment I think. I can't do much outside at the moment so I decided to make up a new batch of skincare oils and toners.
The toners are floral waters mixed together and stored in a dark bottle, I like to use Witch Hazel, Lavender and Geranium floral waters (also called hydrolats/hydrosols if you are looking to order any) in equal proportions....I find this to be refreshing and to remove any trace of oil left from my cleansing routine. I have mainly dry ish, VERY sensitive skin (especially in winter) so I have developed a recipe which suits me, but it would be a good general toner for most skins I think. If your skin is oilier use more Witch Hazel probably.
I then got out some of my essential oils from the dark, locked cupboard where they live:
sorry that you can't see which bottles are which! IF enough people are interested I will post a list of the oils I use most often...I have at least 2 other boxes with other oils in, some for household use ( I use up any which have gone past their use by life for putting down drains!)
I keep a few bottles of essential oils out on my dresser, Lavender and Geranium mainly as I get through such a lot and they are relatively harmless if spilt BUT Essential Oils are potent and are best kept in the dark, out of reach of children!
I have nearly run out of my facial oil and I needed to make up a slightly more rich version to use on my face in winter, so I used more Jojoba and less Sweet Almond oil than I use in Summer, with some Rosehip and Apricot Kernel oil as well as a base. I then added a total of 6 drops of essential oils to the 30 ml of base oils
( the proportions of the base oil were 10 ml Sweet Almond, 10 ml Jojoba, 5 ml Apricot Kernel, 5 ml Rosehip oil), I don't want or need any stronger a blend as it is for my face but for body use I would use 4 drops per 10 ml base oil, rather than the 2 drops per 10 ml base oil I use for my face. Today I used Lavender, Rose Geranium and Rose Otto oils, all wonderful for facial blends and oils I personally love......later on in the Winter I might add some Frankincense, good for all skin care!
I often find I tend towards floral oils when I am low and more earthy oils when I am feeling more grounded ( like Vetivert! Oh how I LOVE Vetivert! the scent of leaf mold in a woodland! ) which goes against accepted wisdom...usually we are supposed to be drawn to the oils which are likely to do us the most good in healing us ...but I find I am drawn towards the oils which reflect how I am feeling....but as they all have potent healing powers, who am I to judge?
I then moved on to making my all purpose soothing massage oil, a blend of Lavender, Neroli and Yarrow in a base of Jojoba and Sweet Almond oil. This is what gets massaged on to any stiff, or sore place at Compost Mansions!
The blue of the Yarrow is SO intense, you can't really see it well in this photo ( I tried but couldn't capture it!) Its the colour of india ink!
If you are wanting to cut costs then Petitgrain can be substituted for Neroli and Chammomile for Yarrow....Yarrow IS cheaper BUT harder to find....
Later on I may make up some more anti viral oil blend, I have just bought some Lemon Eucalyptus which has the most wonderful aroma and I shall add in some other virus busting oils.
Compostman has just informed me I put " anti vital oil" the first time around...oh well..thats how I feel at the mo...anti vital!!
So a nice, productive hour I spent at my bench today making up potions.......continuing on with the Samhain theme? ;-))
******PLEASE remember though, *I* know these are the right oils and strengths for *me*, if anyone reading this wants to make up a similar blend and has ANY medical condition or is pregnant or nursing PLEASE check with your Doctor or a qualified Aromatherapist first. Most of these oils would do no harm to anyone but some seemingly innocent oils can cause problems with ( for example) high blood pressure.*****
Thank you!
I have added in some extra information and reposted this ( the edits are in bold ) so people will know it is added too...I hope I haven't confused anyone!
Pamper time!
I am feeling very achy and stiff at the moment, a combination of the virus and general stress of life at the moment I think. I can't do much outside at the moment so I decided to make up a new batch of skincare oils and toners.
The toners are floral waters mixed together and stored in a dark bottle, I like to use Witch Hazel, Lavender and Geranium floral waters (also called hydrolats/hydrosols if you are looking to order any) in equal proportions....I find this to be refreshing and to remove any trace of oil left from my cleansing routine. I have mainly dry ish, VERY sensitive skin (especially in winter) so I have developed a recipe which suits me, but it would be a good general toner for most skins I think. If your skin is oilier use more Witch Hazel probably.
I then got out some of my essential oils from the dark, locked cupboard where they live:
sorry that you can't see which bottles are which! IF enough people are interested I will post a list of the oils I use most often...I have at least 2 other boxes with other oils in, some for household use ( I use up any which have gone past their use by life for putting down drains!)
I keep a few bottles of essential oils out on my dresser, Lavender and Geranium mainly as I get through such a lot and they are relatively harmless if spilt BUT Essential Oils are potent and are best kept in the dark, out of reach of children!
I have nearly run out of my facial oil and I needed to make up a slightly more rich version to use on my face in winter, so I used more Jojoba and less Sweet Almond oil than I use in Summer, with some Rosehip and Apricot Kernel oil as well as a base. I then added a total of 6 drops of essential oils to the 30 ml of base oils
( the proportions of the base oil were 10 ml Sweet Almond, 10 ml Jojoba, 5 ml Apricot Kernel, 5 ml Rosehip oil), I don't want or need any stronger a blend as it is for my face but for body use I would use 4 drops per 10 ml base oil, rather than the 2 drops per 10 ml base oil I use for my face. Today I used Lavender, Rose Geranium and Rose Otto oils, all wonderful for facial blends and oils I personally love......later on in the Winter I might add some Frankincense, good for all skin care!
I often find I tend towards floral oils when I am low and more earthy oils when I am feeling more grounded ( like Vetivert! Oh how I LOVE Vetivert! the scent of leaf mold in a woodland! ) which goes against accepted wisdom...usually we are supposed to be drawn to the oils which are likely to do us the most good in healing us ...but I find I am drawn towards the oils which reflect how I am feeling....but as they all have potent healing powers, who am I to judge?
I then moved on to making my all purpose soothing massage oil, a blend of Lavender, Neroli and Yarrow in a base of Jojoba and Sweet Almond oil. This is what gets massaged on to any stiff, or sore place at Compost Mansions!
The blue of the Yarrow is SO intense, you can't really see it well in this photo ( I tried but couldn't capture it!) Its the colour of india ink!
If you are wanting to cut costs then Petitgrain can be substituted for Neroli and Chammomile for Yarrow....Yarrow IS cheaper BUT harder to find....
Later on I may make up some more anti viral oil blend, I have just bought some Lemon Eucalyptus which has the most wonderful aroma and I shall add in some other virus busting oils.
Compostman has just informed me I put " anti vital oil" the first time around...oh well..thats how I feel at the mo...anti vital!!
So a nice, productive hour I spent at my bench today making up potions.......continuing on with the Samhain theme? ;-))
******PLEASE remember though, *I* know these are the right oils and strengths for *me*, if anyone reading this wants to make up a similar blend and has ANY medical condition or is pregnant or nursing PLEASE check with your Doctor or a qualified Aromatherapist first. Most of these oils would do no harm to anyone but some seemingly innocent oils can cause problems with ( for example) high blood pressure.*****
Thank you!
I have added in some extra information and reposted this ( the edits are in bold ) so people will know it is added too...I hope I haven't confused anyone!
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Cute Cats!
The cats all cuddled together in the kitchen!
Sid is VERY gentle and affectionate to the two younger kittens, he "mothers" them and has been especially gently and affectionate to them this week.
Tabitha cuddles up to Sid
Ah! she spotted me looking!
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